The Lord Provides

Do you believe this is true?  It is easy for us to say that the Lord provides, but just look at your life and the things you possess, are you really trusting the Lord or do you take things into your own hands and provide for yourself?  As I am thinking about this and typing this ‘Tidbit’ my purpose is not to pick on anyone else because I am as guilty as anyone.  It is hard for many of us to even know if we trust the Lord or not because we have so much.

I can remember years ago when we didn’t have what we have now, we were raising five kids, bringing in about $15,000 a year, receiving HUD and food stamps and the Lord was blessing us with His provision which we needed to get through each day.  The Lord was always faithful to us; we never went without shelter, food or the basic necessities.  The Lord would bless us repeatedly even when I was laid off at work or had to leave work for various reasons; we always had enough and still put cloths on our backs and food on our table.

I remember being laid off of work while working at Endicott Forging and getting a phone call from the Union Stewart, asking me if he could bring a basket over and I said yes, not knowing what to expect.  When he came over I think he had five boxes of food and also some money, there were 97 canned goods that I put on the top bunk bed because I didn’t know where else to put them; as far as I know this never happened there before or since.

We lived in a second floor apartment and many times there would be food on the back or front stairway when we went out and we didn’t know where much of it came from.  We received money in the mail with no name on it, just ‘God bless you,’ and at times people would walk up to me and hand me money.  Over the years the Lord blessed us so much and I felt so close to Him, I thought I was one of the most important people in His life.  Then there was the time a lady came to our house that went to the church we were attending at the time and she blessed us with money before she left.  She no more than went out the back door when we heard a knock on the front door and when my wife opened the door, there was a man standing there that she didn’t know and I only had met one time.  When I ask him what he was doing here he replied that the Lord told him that we needed help so he went to the bank and borrowed some money and brought it to us, as far as I know this man didn’t even go to church, only his wife did.  I remember this was in the winter and he had heart problems and wasn’t supposed to go out in the cold and to top it off he came in a cab, I don’t think they owned a car at the time, and he had to climb the stairs which was something else he wasn’t supposed to do, we thanked him and I took him home.  I can’t thank and praise the Lord enough for what He has done and still is doing for me and my family and if He doesn’t do another thing for us, I will still thank and praise Him for who He is and what He is, Praise the Lord!

There are verses in the book of Psalms that says this, Psalms 37:23-25, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.”

If our steps are ordered by the Lord, He will provide for us.  It also says this in Matthew 6:25-33, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

This gives the condition for God’s provision; His interests need to be first.  In His Word we have a guarantee that He will provide for us, His children, and never leave us or forsake us.  If you are being blessed by the Lord, share it with others.  I could share many more things that the Lord has done for me and my family but I will save that for another time.  I have given you something to think about and I hope this has been an encouragement to you.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!